


eyes up, rise up

by apolliades



Category: Captain America (Movies)
Genre: Aftermath of Torture, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Touch-Starved, Triple Drabble, and a half
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-20
Updated: 2019-06-20
Packaged: 2020-05-15 08:33:16
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 350
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19292083
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/apolliades/pseuds/apolliades
Summary: - Hey, look at me, pal,Bucky?





	eyes up, rise up

**Author's Note:**

  * For [saltytangerine](https://archiveofourown.org/users/saltytangerine/gifts).



\- Buck? Look at me, you alright?

_EYES ON THE GROUND SOLDIER YOU THINK YOU GOT THE RIGHT TO LOOK AT ME HOW DARE YOU FUCKING LOOK AT ME EYES ON THE GODDAMN GROUND YOU WORTHLESS_

\- Hey, look at me, pal,

_PIECE OF SHIT YOU LOOK AT ME WHEN I'M TALKING TO YOU FUCKING LOOK AT ME WHEN I'M TALKING HOW DARE YOU_

\- Bucky?

_and a crack across the face so hard it could snap his neck makes his teeth rattle_

His eyes flick up-back-down-again, find Steve's face for just long enough to catch the grief there. Grief - concern? disapproval? Can't be sure, can't look up again. Can't look higher than the anxious curl of Steve's lips without feeling the sting in his jaw.

_DON'T YOU FUCKING DARE LOOK AT ME_

\- Bucky, you can look at me, Steve says, and he doesn't have the words to tell him he can't, and then Steve touches him. Steve puts his hand on his cheek but softly - Bucky twitches in anticipation but it's not a blow, it's gentle. Steve doesn't try to turn his head up. His hand is calloused, warm and large; half Bucky's face fits in his palm.

\- But you don't gotta. It's alright.

Bucky's eyes have closed. Steve's thumb is on his cheekbone just below his eyelashes. The pad of his middle finger is just behind his ear. The heel of his hand just covers the corner of his mouth. Every single point of contact feels hot, strong, and bright. How long since he's been touched like this.

Like this: without pain. Like this: with tenderness. Like this: by someone who would rather die than hurt him.

His tears run over Steve's wrist. Steve doesn't take his hand away. He ducks his head and his mouth meets Bucky's brow and it burns like a fever and makes him shudder.

\- It's alright, almost too soft to hear, above the thundering of the train on the tracks, or is it just his own heart. But he hears. And Steve guides him gently to his rest. C'mere, lean on me. We'll be home soon.

 


End file.
